Clever Ways to Get Some Exercise at the Office (or Any Small Space)

It's important to get regular exercise, even if it's a little activity here and there. Still, not all of us have access to (or money for) a gym membership, and many of us already work long hours that make it difficult to get out for a run or jog. Here are some clever ways to get a little activity in anywhere you happen to be, like your cubicle.

We should note that you're not really going to work up a sweat or do any serious resistance training in your cubicle, so it's important to complement exercises like these with a semi-regular
workout routine you'll actually stick to
. If you're not getting much activity at all right now, these exercises can help you get up, get moving around, and get started on the way to something more robust. The beauty of all of them is that you can do them anywhere, from your desk at work to your hotel room if you're away on a business trip.

Master Your Small-Space Stretching Exercises

Probably the easiest (and the least conspicuous) exercises you can do at your desk or in your cubicle are simple stretching and in-place exercises.
We've shown you some of them before
, and sites like
Nano Workout
have entire workout routines that you can do almost anywhere,
including exercises designed to be done at the office
. Many of these exercises aren't really designed to help you burn calories or lose weight, but instead stay limber and counteract the effects of sitting at a desk all day.

Additionally, you can try stretching exercises you can do sitting down.
Desk yoga
, for example, can help you de-stress and avoid repetitive stress injury (RSI) that can damage your hands, wrists, back, and neck. If you work in a job where you're tethered to a phone, you may not have the option to get up and move around too often without signing off or getting approval, so even a few seated stretches can help you out there. If you work in a cubicle though, definitely make a point to get up, move around, and stretch a bit.

Even if you can't work up a sweat at your desk, you can stay limber or go for a quick walk around the office, or the office building. I was lucky enough to work in an office that had a gym attached to it, but sometimes it was just as nice to go outside for a nice long walk around the building a couple of times, or to have a "walking meeting," where I took an hour-long conference call while walking laps around the parking lot instead of sitting pinned to my desk.

Bring Some Equipment With You

If you have a little room at the office to swing a few things around or get on the floor a bit, you might consider bringing a few items with you to work that'll help you make your breaks or idle thinking time even more productive. Even a pair of five-pound hand weights gives you the opportunity to do a number of exercises you wouldn't otherwise be able to do. We've even shown you
how to get a great workout in less than 20 minutes using nothing but a towel
. You don't have to go that extent, but a few hand weights, some elastic exercise bands, and you have the makings of some light strength training (or at least some mild physical therapy) at your cubicle or office desk.

If you work from home, this gets even easier, since you can wear what you like and work out when you like-even if you're technically supposed to be pinned to your computer for something. In the same vein, make use of your surroundings. Even if you can't bring some hand weights into the office with you, you may be able to make the most of the stairs up to your office area or the distance to your desk from the parking lot (eg, park as far as possible from your desk). You could also consider switching to a backless chair to encourage good posture, or giving yourself a stair-climbing workout even if your desk is on the first floor.

Finally, consider using an app like
Sworkit
, one of our favorites, to auto generate workouts that fit into the amount of time you have and the location you're in. If you're at the office, you can get exercise suggestions that won't make you disgusting for your next meeting, but still help you stretch out a bit and get the blood flowing. The same applies if you're visiting a friend and want to limber up before bed, or on a business trip in a tiny hotel room.

Mod Your Workspace for a Great Workout

If you have the freedom to make your workspace a little more exercise friendly, then you can throw the doors open to a number of new possibilities. For example, you could always opt
to build a treadmill desk
. Granted, you'll probably have a hard time typing that TPS report while you're walking (it takes some getting used to), but you will be able to take a long conference call, watch a seminar or screen-shared meeting, read a long document, or get some brainstorming done.

Similarly, you could always invest in something like
the previously mentionedFitDesk
, which has earned high praise from both myself and Adam Dachis for being a great way to squeeze in a little pedaling when we're taking a meeting or brainstorming future post ideas. If you'd prefer to sit, consider the
Desk Cycle
, which rests comfortably under your desk and lets you pedal while you type, sitting in your own chair.

You may be able to bring a Desk Cycle to the office, but unless you're in charge, have your own office, or work at a company that's okay with major workspace changes, a treadmill desk may not be in the cards. Still, that doesn't mean you're totally out of options. After all, it's possible to
get a full-body workout using nothing but your body
, and while you obviously don't want to work out so hard that you're dripping sweat in your cubicle, it's possible to get moving in a hotel room or at home even if you don't have fancy equipment or a gym membership. Plus, with a little creativity, you can keep up the momentum with
some lighter exercises at the office
that can keep you limber, calm, and in good condition.